TravTalk goes Carbon Neutral

Our focus at TRAVTALK over the past few years have been on sustainability and reducing carbon emissions in the industry. In our journey towards net zero carbon emissions, we, as a responsible B2B media organization, launch our first Carbon Neutral Edition while pledging to make its operations carbon neutral.

The travel industry has long been associated with glamour and adventure, but it is also responsible for a significant amount of carbon emissions. With global travel on the rise, it is more important than ever for the industry to address its carbon footprint. According to a report by IATA, the aviation industry accounted for 2.4 per cent of global CO2 emissions in 2018. While this may seem like a small percentage, it is important to remember that emissions from aviation are increasing at a much faster rate than other sectors, with a projected 300 per cent increase by 2050. The travel industry as a whole, including aviation, cruise ships, and ground transportation, accounts for roughly 8 per cent of global carbon emissions. This is a significant amount, especially when considering the impact of climate change on our planet. Thankfully, there are steps being taken to address this issue.

The aviation industry has made significant progress in developing more fuel-efficient planes, with some airlines even experimenting with sustainable biofuels. Additionally, carbon offset programs allow travellers to voluntarily contribute to reducing their carbon footprint. However, there is still much more that needs to be done.

TRAVTALK, a leading B2B travel, tourism and hospitality magazine and the industry’s leading voice, becomes the first magazine in the industry to become carbon neutral with the help of South Asia’s leading sustainability consulting company, The Climate & Conservation Consortium. To achieve this, CCC worked with the Magazine’s publishers to calculate the carbon emissions that result from the printing and publication of the magazine issue (the product carbon footprint) using a Product Lifecycle approach.

In a joint statement, Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne, Director, CCC, stated, “With the impacts of climate change more evident that ever, the travel sector is under increasing pressure to adhere to more sustainable practices. Jointly our two organizations have both the domain expertise as well as the reach within the industry to jointly advocate for a more sustainable roadmap towards a net-zero future. And this is what we believe our partnership could bring to
the table.”

Once the emissions had been quantified in Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalents ( tCo2e), CCC will retire the corresponding number of registered carbon credits to compensate for the unavoidable emissions. The certification
was issued by the independent certification company – The Sustainable Future Group, (www.sustainablefuturegroup.com) in accordance to its ZeroCarbon protocol.

Sumeera Bahl, Director, stated, “Travel is a wonderful experience that enriches lives, but it is important to acknowledge the impact it has on our planet. We believe that working together to reduce our carbon footprint, we can ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the beauty of our planet just as we do.”